INs and OUTs

[SloughFlyer]

3spirit - i agree with not taking apart the entire team, just upgrading various positions. I also 100% agree with needing to add some variety to our players to give that flexibility in the play. I would be looking at the flexibility away from home on those winter type pitches, but having that variety is important IMO. I also agree about some steal in the team and perhaps we differ on which players but i lije the thought of centre of the team players with some more size about them.

[3spirit]

Next season in my opinion is going to be far harder than this year... if the likelihood of Salisbury and Farnborough get promoted, along with Hereford and Royston who have conference level players throughout and knocking on door for years! As well as the usual suspects from this year.

 

I would argue that next season will be the highest quality step 3 league for a long long time!!

 

I not sure on this, after all the Slough managers, are now three seasons wiser to what this division is about. 

   

The sides you mention are all coming up, if Slough can reinforce well I wouldn't be scared of any of those sides.

you mention. In fact they're be more fearful of us.

[GlenSTFC]

Of 4 coming up presuming Farnborough and Salisbury win their PO's. It's only Hereford who I'd expect to be top 5 purely down to their crowds/budget. Royston could be dark horses as do have plenty of step 2 experience in their squad already. Although Farnborough will have extra income with Basingstoke now ground sharing.

[SloughFlyer]

None of those 4 sides worry me at this moment as the step from the leagues below to this division is a massive one and regardless of teams etc, this is one of the toughest around. With the experience we have currently and the potential additions, we'll be right up there im sure.

[Sloughboy]

Massively disagree! Salisbury and Hereford budget in particular with their crowd bases, absolute certainty they will be in the shake up!

 

We will see!!

[Sloughboy]

I wasn't saying we would not be in the mix!

 

Can't see how we can't agree that thy league this year was not as strong as previous, all opinion I guess.

[3spirit]

Massively disagree! Salisbury and Hereford budget in particular with their crowd bases, absolute certainty they will be in the shake up!

 

We will see!!

Well as none of us have precognition, it's impossible to say what will happen.

 

Having a big crowd and a high budget can help in getting a team up to the higher eschelons of the table but it is no guarantee of success.

From what I've seen of this Southern Premier Division over the three seasons Slough have been in it, is that many teams underestimate how hard it is to win the title/get in the play offs.

It is far superior to the Central and South and West leagues, as the Premier division has quality teams throughout, whereas those lower leagues have a lot of poor sides in them and you could divide those two divisions practically in half, as to which sides will make the top 10 and those teams who dwell in the bottom half.

 

I'm expecting the promoted sides to add to the competition but I don't for a minute believe the division will be any harder to win because of them being in it. 

[Mr Rebel]

All the best to those who have left us.

 

I don't see the need for a huge amount of changes but its clear that our main issue especially since the turn of the year is becoming more effective away from home. A bit more steel and ugliness to grind out the tough wins or if its not our day finding ways to dig in and pick up a reasonable point instead of losses 

 

We do seem to be a bit naive still at times and get for the want of a better word "bullied" by energetic teams that 'play the ref' quite well. Think we need to be a bit nastier and maybe learn a trick or 2 from some sides. 

 

Fully understand why we have a squad geared to playing on the 3g and credit where its due its produced our best finish in many years. Now time to find the balance between that and lesser surfaces. I like the points by others about having flexibility and changing between a number of systems. Finding versatility while also balancing the books etc is easier said than done of course 

[REBEL MATTERS]

Its been interesting reading everyone's comments and new seasons expectations.

 

I hope (really hope) we are challenging near the top again next season, but concerned, have we overachieved this season and expecting more next year than we should? 

 

This season for Slough as a town has been fantastic, love watching home games back in Slough, seeing new faces etc....

 

I said this before and say it again, my main concern remains, if we are to challenge near the top next season, we need to sort out our form after February / March and learn how to win ugly on poor pitches.

 

COYR !!!

Edited April 29, 2017 by Cippenham Rebel

[GlenSTFC]

If us fans can see the main issues this season then I'm certain our managers do! Home form shouldn't be a concern especially after a full season playing on the 3G. Obviously the better pitches in the first part of the season you'd feel pretty confident we can replicate our home form but as we all saw it's the winter to end of season pitches away that's the concern and where we need a certain type of player(s) to get stuck in and organise the team.

[Neil Baker]

I think it is pretty clear where we have fallen down this season, and in particular back end of the season, but that is where we will be doing our utmost best to rectify this for next season, no guarantee that anything will work in football with its unpredictability... however like normal we will work extremely hard and hope that we can achieve this.

 

Would like to wish the best to the 4 lads that have been released, Gurkan has been a fantastic servant to the club, and is one of the nicest lads we have come across, however for us to have a shot of winning the league next year then we have to be honest with him and say he will not play, and he accepts that, and I will be helping him find a club where hopefully he can play.

 

Puts had a fantastic first season for us, however this season has not happened him for various reasons, which include personal, injuries and also the form of others, again he needs to go and re find his form, another great lad who I will miss not being around the club, both were very amicable and like Dobbo few season back we have not closed the door to either permanently.

 

Stoney was fantastic for us when he came in last season, however this season he has been constantly battling niggly injuries which has affected his game, and with him not getting any younger we did not want to run the risk of the same happening next season.

 

Callum i think has potential, though it didn't quite happen for him in his limited game time with us, and knowing he needs to be playing week in week out to improve, we knew that we could not provide that for him.

 

All 4 go with our best wishes.

In terms of new signings etc, then there will be incoming, though I am sure that it will go quiet for the next few weeks, however it is pretty obvious we will be bringing in a new keeper and left back, however we will also be trying to strengthen in a number of other positions.

 

This is an extremely busy time for us, and like some have said the league looks set to be the toughest it has ever been, so we need to be in a position where we can try and replicate this season but hopefully go that step further (however 23 other sides will be saying the same).

 

Have a great summer, but like always trust that we will be doing what we can to make sure the club is in the best position it can.

 

We will announce pre season games in the next week or two (including Kevs testimonial) we are just waiting on one to be able to confirm this, however there will be some corkers in there.

 

Bakes

[staines_rebel_Jr]

Thanks for the honest (as always) update Neil. Just one question I am sure many others will also be wondering and hopefully getting excited about is will there be any home pre season matches?

[Reading Rebel]

As usual Bakes, thanks for keeping us in touch with your views on what's been happening at the club. 

[Mark44]

I'm sure I heard that nisbet will also have a testimonial which will be an SL Classico. He still works for maidenhead in a coaching role I believe

[3spirit]

Bakes, you would say, it will be tough if we were playing Holyport every week ! ha ha !

 

All the rational,reasoned,sane Slough fans know you and Unders are doing a great job [not sure Kirk counts in this?] but you both have to take a certain amount of blame for raising the fans expectations every season !

 

Another top 5 placing will be a success to me but what fan doesn't want to win the title. Can't wait to see who we sign. If we can get the right players in, I don't see why we can't improve on this season. Won't be a walk in the park but we are moving in the right direction.

 

For me finding as good a goalkeeper as Mark Scott is, is going to be no easy task. Hope we are lucky in this, as it shouldn't be underestimated how big a player Mark Scott has been for us.I believe his injury and subsequent absence cost us dear, in our quest for a higher up table finish.

No offence to the keepers we managed to get in but losing such a mainstay as Scotty, was a massive blow IMO.

[Mark44]

Agree totally on Mark Scott. Not only was he a top keeper in his own ability but seemed that our defence also benefitted from having him there.

 

We missed his organisation skills too

[SloughFlyer]

No doubt in my mind that Scotty is the best goalie in our league. Hopefully once his injury has healed he will be able to come back just as strong as before.

[staines_rebel_Jr]

You cannot win a league without having one of the very best keepers in that league.

 

This will be the most important signing Neil and Jon will have to make during the summer. Also one of the hardest because no club will want to let go of a great goal keeper.

[Curtis]

This season we have topped the attendance league table and finished the season 5th and had the pleasure of a play-off match.

 

As such, despite Hereford, and possibly Salisbury coming up, it is highly likely that we will still be one of the top five best attended clubs in the league (especially with the completion of the ground before the start of the new season), and with that will undoubtedly be an expectation that we will finish in the top five again next season.

 

The good news, in my opinion, is that our success this season should not be a surprise to anyone as we have seen the quality this season not only to finish in the top five but also to have won the league (with a little more consistency and a few less injuries).

 

Would anyone argue with the following squad, injury free, not winning the title:-

 

Scott

 

Fraser

Stonehouse

Nisbet

Hollis

Hewitt

Smart

Jackman

 

Dunn

Togwell

Webb

Dobson

Harris

Williams

 

Flood

James

Barney

Moone

 

Neil has already commented on looking for a goalkeeper and a left back (for Stonehouse and Scott), and I haven't seen enough of Jesse Wilson to know whether he is as good as Brad Hewitt, or whether a fit Gilkes would improve our midfield, and I am unconvinced about Liam Enver-Marum from what I saw over his few starts.

 

So, if we can hold on to what we currently have, and keep them injury free for most of next season, we should be only a few signings away from a title challenge.

 

Or am I too optimistic?

[Reading Rebel]

This season we have topped the attendance league table and finished the season 5th and had the pleasure of a play-off match.

 

As such, despite Hereford, and possibly Salisbury coming up, it is highly likely that we will still be one of the top five best attended clubs in the league (especially with the completion of the ground before the start of the new season), and with that will undoubtedly be an expectation that we will finish in the top five again next season.

 

The good news, in my opinion, is that our success this season should not be a surprise to anyone as we have seen the quality this season not only to finish in the top five but also to have won the league (with a little more consistency and a few less injuries).

 

Would anyone argue with the following squad, injury free, not winning the title:-

 

Scott

 

Fraser

Stonehouse

Nisbet

Hollis

Hewitt

Smart

Jackman

 

Dunn

Togwell

Webb

Dobson

Harris

Williams

 

Flood

James

Barney

Moone

 

Neil has already commented on looking for a goalkeeper and a left back (for Stonehouse and Scott), and I haven't seen enough of Jesse Wilson to know whether he is as good as Brad Hewitt, or whether a fit Gilkes would improve our midfield, and I am unconvinced about Liam Enver-Marum from what I saw over his few starts.

 

So, if we can hold on to what we currently have, and keep them injury free for most of next season, we should be only a few signings away from a title challenge.

 

Or am I too optimistic?

 

 

The squad you've named and the squad that finished the season without doubt would be good enough to get us into the play-offs.

 

As far as winning the league outright I'm not so sure. It's arguably the best footballing squad in the division but as we've discovered it takes a bit more than playing good, attractive football to win the title. So even if injury free IMO we'd still be at least a couple of players short of winning the title.